A massive Ferris wheel can be seen spinning through the sky at the fairgrounds like a beacon of hope for adventurous tikes and wild parents alike. It serves as a guide from anywhere in the park toward the carnival at the Oregon State Fair.

As you weave your way through the grounds, here are a few rides that are worth forking over funds for.

All the rides listed here are 10 tickets each and permit riders to buckle in solo. Keep in mind, many others require groups of two or more. The carnival opens at 11 a.m. daily. (And no, you can't bring your beer into the carnival area.)

You also can grab an unlimited ride pass online or at the fair for $50.

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The Wave Swinger takes riders on a light spin through the air at the Oregon State Fair.(Photo: COOPER GREEN / Statesman Journal)

Mild: Wave Swinger

The Wave Swinger isn't nearly as ominous as its array of chain links would suggest. As riders clatter into the classroom-style chairs, each strung up to the top of the ride with four long chains, the foreboding clatter of metal on metal could be the introduction to a horror film.

In reality, it's a fairly tame ride. The chairs tilt at a minor angle, and it picks up decent speed at a height of 20 to 30 feet, but it's far from frightening. A nice ride for those looking to take it easy with a bit of thrill, or start the day off slow.

Gut-wrencher: Kamikaze

"I've heard we have a 75 percent chance of survival," said one young rider as the parallel hammers began to swing on the Kamikaze, building toward a full upside-down swing.

Rainier Amusements has a higher standard for survival than three out of four. Regardless, this reporter was among the living following the massive momentum swings of the Kamikaze pendulum. A secure padded overbar holds riders in tight as the swing builds in speed and height before pausing fully flipped at 50 feet up.

A gut-wrencher for sure. Not for those afraid of heights or skeptics of carnival safety regulations. However, the cages feel secure enough to make it quite bearable. The praying mantis on the inside of the windshield held on the whole ride.

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Attendees of the Oregon State Fair wait in line for the Arctic Blaster Roller Coaster.(Photo: COOPER GREEN / Statesman Journal)

Hard to miss: Arctic Blaster Roller Coaster

Riders hop into four-seater green roller carts at the platform for the Arctic Blaster. As with most roller coasters, this is one of suspense-building followed by intense drops. The cart climbs hills on chains and takes slow curves and flats before dropping at steep angles to the thrill of those aboard.

As its the only roller coaster of significant size at the carnival, the line will probably be longer than the ride, which lasts about two minutes. And, as my neighbor in the cart said dryly during a drop, it isn't quite on par with the massive coasters of Six Flags or other major parks but provides excitement anyway.

At the other end of the park is the Scream Machine, a much smaller roller coaster suitable for youngsters.

Sleeper hit: Orbiter

The Orbiter might take the prize as the sleeper hit of the carnival. At first glance, the ride is fairly docile in its appearance, with brightly colored cars attached to a tarantula base that gives the impression of another merry-go-round style slow jam.

Make sure to watch a round before you hop on. As the arms rise and begin to spin the three-car pods, the Orbiter quickly outpaces most of the rides at the fair. It's a cheek-blasting flyer. But with a full crossbar and large seating pods, it feels far more safe than most of the other fast-paced rides.

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The Hi Jacker takes riders up and down, quickly, at the Oregon State Fair.(Photo: COOPER GREEN / Statesman Journal)

Big drop: Hi Jacker

The Hi Jacker is your standard rise-and-fall ride. It's a 50-foot pillar shooting out of the park near the roller coaster, bedazzled with lights and color. The two-person seating groups that wrap the pillar will rise slowly up the stalk, hold in the air for just long enough to make you wonder if something is wrong, then abruptly drop most of the way to the ground. Rinse and repeat four times.

This is a classic carnival ride, and most have probably seen its like before. But it's hard to pass up as a cheap thrill and provides a bird's eye view of the fair for the moments hanging at the top.

Not worth the price of admission: Haunted Mansion

A regular at carnivals, this gloomy cart tour looks promising for a scare from outside, where riders climb in and are greeted by a dead pirate mannequin at the door.

The cart wheels around a rickety track through pitch black hallways as voices chatter and screech from above. Unfortunately, visitors will quickly realize this isn't a possessed home, but just a mansion whose landlord forgot to pay the utility bill. The usual jump scares are missing, replaced by a slow, dark ride with bad sound effects.

Two minutes later, visitors to the mansion won't be too shaken up beyond the time it takes for their eyes to adjust.

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Yoga + Beer

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Photographer: Etienne Frossard

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